


Linebeck of Norcoast

by ItsaMePatches



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Genre: Gen, Pre-Canon, Pre-Game(s), Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-17
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-02 18:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6576778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsaMePatches/pseuds/ItsaMePatches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[[Will return later in late October or early November. Thank you for your patience!]]</p><p>[Before the events of "Phantom Hourglass"]</p><p>Long before landing at a place called Mercay Island, Linebeck was simply the only child of two former adventurers who was to sail off for his own adventure for the awesome riches in the world. As he later finds out after joining a captain named Clement and his crew, there's certainly a lot for him to experience outside of treasure hunting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Almost a year ago, I started doing a pre-Phantom Hourglass story with Linebeck called "Dwindled Seas" ( http://patchesandwritingstuff.tumblr.com/post/118647397520/dwindled-seas-1-linebeck ) which was basically one of those "how it all began for this character" stories. I ended up losing interest in it for a while since, well, it's fan-fiction of a dead fandom (Phantom Hourglass, not Legend of Zelda in general), but I suddenly had ideas coming to me last week.
> 
> So, that's how it came to be. Is it going to suck immensely? Probably. But even if I think it's terrible, if you like it, then that's all that matters.

* * *

 

 

     It was some time during the afternoon hour, possibly earlier...it was hard to tell.

     Whatever part of the day it was, he needed a drink.

     The anchor dove into the water with care, and once it landed to the bottom, the ship's owner stepped off with a grunt. Blimey, not a soul was out. In addition to that, this land certainly lacked...well, a lot. Houses, for an example, were scarce here. Granted, it was to be expected since this port town was still new to civilization from what he heard back at home, _but that was long ago_.

     Something flashed in his thoughts. He bit the side of his lip at the sudden flashback; however, he refused to let it bother him for long. Instead, the man donned in the blue captain's jacket casually made his way off the port and to the grassy grounds. Let's see, a shipyard that was currently closed, a small shop to the left of where he was, a house to his far right, a shop of some kind, and a tavern. Perfect! For a moment, he was worried that this place would lack such a thing.

     The closer he got to the tavern, the louder the chatter from inside became. At least he wouldn't be in there by himself. He'd have more people to brag to about all of the awesome things he went through before arriving here. He stopped in front of the entrance for a moment in order to adjust himself. Slowly, a hand went to the red ascot and loosened it.

     Alright, time for some conversations.

     Placing a hand on the door frame, he leaned half-way in the establishment. "Hey, e'cuse me," he spoke up, catching the attention of the elder and bar owner, "you open or do I have to sit out here and wait?"

     "Well!" The middle-aged man said from behind the counter whilst his hand continued drying the inside of a glass. "A visitor to Mercay, huh? Yes we're open as soon as the sun rises."

     "Great. I need a few drinks..."  
     "Come on in, then. I'll get with you in a second."

     Later, he joined the two, sitting on a chair beside the old man with a glass of milk in hand, whilst he listened to the two men speak to each other.

     The tavern's owner questioned, "Say, isn't your wife wondering where you are?"

     "Wh--what? No, why...do you say that?"  
     "Because you've been here since I opened the tavern. Don't you think she's wondering what's taking you so long?"  
     "...no."

     The elder sipped at his drink. "So, young man," he changed the subject, glancing over at the newcomer, "I'm guessing you're a captain rather than a tourist, am I right? The jacket definitely screams 'captain' to me..."

     It begins...

     A grin tugged at his lips, but he was successful at keeping his smugness down...well, a tiny bit anyway. "Why old man, you'd be right. I _am_ a captain!" There was _no_ stopping him nor the swelling occurring in the pit of his stomach. He continued, "I've been at sea for many o' years now. I've _earnt_ this title because of the amazing feats I've committed!"

     He, the old man, blinked. "...really now."

     "I see," the tavern worker spoke up. "You wouldn't mind telling us your name, would you? Maybe that will ring a bell if we've heard of you, Captain...?"

     His green eyes shone as he lifted the glass to his lips. "Captain _Linebeck_ ," he proudly replied then downed the rest of his drink. "Been to thousands of places for treasure and the sort, and so far, I've been doing just that. I can speed-run two temples _before_ breakfast."

     "..."  
     "..."

     This man's immediate prideful attitude practically radiated off him and onto the other two men, and boy did they stare at each other then to Captain Linebeck. Oh boy, was he one of _those_ people? You know, the type who claims they did a lot of awesome things when, in reality, they probably haven't? Because Linebeck was _certainly_ giving them that impression right now.

     "But, I've decided to take a brief break from adventuring the seas," Linebeck said. He sat his glass down. "Got some more for me, Pops?"

     ' _Pops...?_ ' The owner blinked, thinking, ' _Aren't we around the same age?_ '

     An hour passed, and Linebeck was still drinking his thoughts away while keeping up a conversation with the two men once in a while. He could've sworn he heard the tavern's owner say something about an ocean temple, but then the old man hushed him before he could finish his sentence. Huh, odd.

     Three glasses and thirty minutes later, Linebeck had to excuse himself for "just a sec". He dashed out of the bar, a hand cupping over his mouth.

     The old man snickered. "Must be lactose intolerant."

     At the sound of hearing loud coughing outside, the tavern man cringed. "Or he had one too many. I'm going to assume the captain went on the grass."

 

 

     Linbeck, once he was finished his unwanted emptying of stomach contents, plopped down on a clean patch of grass. He needed some fresh air after vomiting.

     "It's been a while since I've done that," he panted. He dug into his jacket pockets for a cloth he could use in case he had anything he needed to wipe off. He frowned in annoyance when he didn't find a thing besides lint. Linebeck tried again, this time, shooting his hands inside his jacket for his other pockets. A-ha! Found one!

     He pulled out the soft material, but paused once he recognized what it was.

     It was a piece of _his_ captain's jacket.

     "Huh, didn't expect to see this," he said to himself, brows raised. Linebeck fiddled with the red material, checking to see how soft it still felt.

     Perhaps it was all of those drinks finally hitting him, but Linebeck's eyes almost went out of focus the longer he stared at it. Bah, this was silly. He should still be drinking and talking with those guys inside, not feeling... _something_...about seeing this piece of clothing.

     In fact, yeah! He should get back to bragging about the adventures he had at sea! Forget this!

     On wobbled legs, Linebeck rose from the ground and made his way back to the tavern.

     "Back, sorry," he immediately apologized to the two men while shoving the cloth into his left pocket. "Let's have some more! I'll be fine!"

     That cloth, to a regular bloke, would seem like a mere torn part from a coat, but to Linebeck, he definitely knew it belonged to an important somebody -- one who left an impression on him for more than one reason: Captain Clement.

     For you see, Linebeck was at first an inexperienced man who wanted as much treasure as his pockets could carry, believe it or not; however, as time went on, he learnt there was more than treasure out there.

 

* * *

 


	2. New Face at Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There once was a man from Norcoast who was getting into the sailing aspect like both parents did. Right away, Linebeck wants to dive in and find the riches as soon as possible, so he pulls up to the first island he sees and digs up any suggestions he can get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Norcoast is a weird name.
> 
> Anyway, there's something special I added to this chapter since it's supposed to be a special moment. Basically, a link will be added to one or two key lines here -- those links will open a YouTube video which will provide background music. I think it's kinda cool, but I'm not sure if this will translate well.
> 
> Eh, we'll see.

* * *

 

 

_Long before setting out to sea and to this place, Mercay Island, I had an okay life. I lived at home with my loving parents, both of whom had shared a past of sailing the great sea at one point or another. It was because of them and the stories that they told me as a kid that I knew I wanted to have my own experiences somewhere out there._

_Those stories really did leave an impression on me. Mum would excitedly tell how she and her pop went out at sea during her early teens, searching for treasure and exploring recently inhabited lands that they only heard at first by word of mouth. She was the navigator and Grandpa was the one who tore the sea with his speedy boat. Pop, meanwhile, shared with me his life as a crewmember (and the ship’s mechanic) upon the fancy boat of a rising captain while having adventures with him for half a decade. Yeah, being under someone’s boot probably isn’t that impressive for a lot, but Pop mentioned how great of a man the captain was to his crew, so to him, it certainly meant something._

_Anyway, when I got older, I started studying the same navigation books my mum had while also having hands-on experience by sitting out with her at night to observe the stars. Navigating through the positioning of the stars is a thing, after all. On the side, my pop made me come work with him at the shipyard, which is where I slowly learnt how to repair ships under his guidance._

_I kinda wonder if the desire for things such as sailing and adventuring ran through my genes because of how comfortable I got into fitting the “role” like them. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else outside of sailing, to be honest. Heck, I could probably be a captain if I wanted to. Sure enough, after asking Pop some more about the captain he worked with, and how awesome he was, I soon had the want for that type of position._

_Captain Linebeck of Norcoast: Greatest Man of the Sea!_

_Yeah, that had a nice ring to it...maybe get rid of the “Norcoast” bit and say “seas” instead of “sea”._

_When I turned...I think...twenty-two,[I was ready to set sail not long after my birthday came and went.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QaQOr5fNuM)  
_

_All the money I saved up from working at the yard was spent on a steamboat, one that I proudly named after myself. The S.S. Linebeck had much brighter colour than now, but my baby was still the same in its personality._

_D--don’t even think about laughing at what I just called my ship. It’s an important asset to me, you know!_

_As I was saying…_

_Like a lot of parents, mine were sad to see me go. I guess this leave was especially hard since I was their only kid, plus, I would be going by myself instead of joining a group like Pop suggested. Still to this day, I remember exactly what they said to me as I hopped onto my ship, believe it or not._

_“No matter what you do out there,” Mum said with a beaming smile, “we’ll be proud of you. Follow the constellations or gulls if you ever get lost, remember that.”_

_Pop was scratching at his giant bush of a beard, smiling too. “If you run into Jolene or Joanne, tell ‘em that their parents said hi. Good luck out there, kid. We love ya.”_

_I personally hoped I didn’t run into Jolene at all. Goddess, did that woman scare me ever since we were little. At least Joanne was nice._

_I weighed anchor, and soon I began to pull from the port village._

_To be honest, I was probably imagining this happen, but I could’ve sworn something I ate made a lump form at my throat around the same time I heard my parents say good-bye from where they stood. Since I couldn’t call back from the lower section where I was steering my boat, I pulled at horn three times._

_I pray they heard it and knew I was replying._

_The window to my left was open, so, taking my hands of the wheel for a quick moment, I went over and peered out. The figures of my parents grew smaller by the distance along with Norcoast. I coughed into a closed fist to get rid of the lump and went back to the steering wheel._

_I led my boat around for an hour until I got thirsty. While I sat on the deck with a jug of water to my mouth, I felt a sense of calm. The water’s waves that tapped against the S.S. Linebeck were weak, passing gulls cried above, and the salty air tickled my nose from time to time._

_It must’ve been the thought about being on my own and getting to experience something as awesome as sailing the sea, but for a sec, a smile came to my lips._

_I felt alive, free, excited, and…adventurous, perhaps?_

_I had a chance to have journeys like the kind Mum had. Treasure was waiting for me, too. The thought of finding all kinds of riches caused my stomach to flip._

_That would take time, though, to find treasure. Since I had no idea where to start when it came to basic treasure hunting, I decided to stop by a few islands and ask the locals about any rumoured places which are said to be filled with any type of treasure…but, I suddenly chose to put that on hold. I wanted to savour my first day on my own at sea._

 

* * *

 

 

**Linebeck of Norcoast.**

 

* * *

 

 

 

   “Welp, cheers.”

    Linebeck downed his “special occasion” drink as he leaned back against the ship’s railing. The newcomer had follow a group of gulls to a large slab of an island within six hours of sailing, which was a good thing since, apparently, there’s hardly a bloody thing around where Norcoast sat. Huh. He wasn’t aware of how isolated his homeland apparently was from the surrounding lands until he checked one of the many maps he had on him…

    His green eyes darted up to the houses and buildings which stood far, far from where he had weigh anchor. He could’ve sworn he saw a person dancing on top of a hill, but perhaps Linebeck was seeing things. Let’s see...grass, sand, snorting pigs...but not a person out in the field. Guess because it was getting late.

    ...what a boring life to be inside as soon as it turned dark outside.

    Linebeck sipped at his drink. “Looks like I might have to wait ‘til mornin' to ask about any rumoured treasure,” he said, but then he heard his stomach growl, “...well, that and food. All I have on my ship is bread.”

    The young man stayed out there for a total of ten minutes, simply glancing about the town as he did so, until the last drip of his drink landed on his tongue. Although disappointed that he ran out so soon, Linebeck began to feel sleepy anyway.

    Once disposing the empty bottle, he went down the steps while removing his ascot and then plopped onto the hammock with a sigh.

    “Good night, Mum and Pop…” he mumbled, seconds before drifting off to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

    _[Even](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg-4IOUWJFM)_ from where he went up the small flight of stairs, Linebeck could still hear the loud children playing around in the field with the pigs, but it didn’t bother him this late in the afternoon. What _did_ bother him was his back. Darn hammock. No matter, he could shrug the minor pain off. The thing that mattered was getting some scoop on treasure, and from what his parents told him, he had a good idea where to get information.

    He spotted two older women talking to each other, looking as though they were _gossiping_ rather than having an ordinary chat. Linebeck went towards them.

   “E’cuse me,” he interrupted, which immediately caught their attention. “Uh, hello, yes. I’m new ‘ere, and I was wondering if there’s a tavern or somethin’ like that around...whatever this island is.”

    The two stared at him for a second, silent, but then the woman on the left leaned sideways to her friend, questioning under her breath, “What did he say?”

    “Beats me,” the other whispered in reply. “I can hardly understand what he’s saying.”

    “Well he did say he _was_ new here. He’s a foreigner…”  
    “Obviously by the accent.”

    Linebeck’s brows furrowed as the ladies continued whispering back and forth about him. How on earth could they not have understood what he was asking through an accent he wasn’t aware of having? Whatever the reason was, it was still rude to be talking about one’s speaking pattern like that.

    The woman on the left nudged her companion, hissing, “Try asking him about what he said. Hurry up, he’s staring!”  
  
    “Alright, alright…” She glanced to Linebeck. “Could you repeat yourself, dear?”

    Finally, he tried asking them again. “A tavern...is there one around ‘ere-- I mean -- _here_?”

    The woman on the right pointed across from where they stood. “Well, there’s this cafe bar, if that works.”

    He bowed his head as a sign of ‘thanks’, and then he walked to that direction.

 

 

* * *

 

 

    “So, you’re looking for treasure?” The woman behind the bar counter tilted her head momentarily. “Came to the right place. I overhear a lot of info from sailors and pirates about that sort of stuff. You understand, right?”

    Linebeck nodded while he chewed and swallowed down the biscuit and gravy he had on a plate.

    She hummed in thought. “Let’s see...well, a lot of the tiny islands near here tend to carry these valuable jelly you can make for potions,” she began, “ _but_ , if you’d like things such as rupees, jewelry, and whatever, you could try visiting the island only a few feet away from us. There’s an entrance way into a strange, hollow rock that only someone small could get through, and from what I’ve heard, people have spotted shimmering pieces through said entrance.”

    He quirked an eyebrow. A-ha! First full day out, and there’s a chance he might’ve found something!

    The woman poured more coffee into the mug beside Linebeck. “Glad you’re not as rowdy or as sour as those sailors who pop up here during the night. ‘Ppreciate it, really,” she sighed out. “So,” she changed the subject, “are you new to the whole ‘treasure’ business, or have you been doing it for a while?”

    Before taking a sip of coffee, he responded, “First day.”

    “Part of a crew?”  
    “Nope.”

    “Huh,” she sounded, blinking. “For a minute there, I thought you were. I guess it’s the clothes you’re wearing.”

    It was his turn to blink. “What? What do you mean by that?”

    “I mean...you sort of look like a captain’s subordinate or cabin boy.”

    Linebeck could feel the comment jabbing to the side of his head. What was wrong with what he was wearing?! All he wore was a white button-up top with the sleeves rolled up, a red ascot, his pop’s old trousers, and his mum’s sailing boots-- _oh_ . Guess...this attire really _did_ came off like a low-ranking person in a pirate crew or something…

    “No offense, though.”  
    “...none taken.”

    She coughed. Darn, maybe she should change the subject. He looked offended somewhat. “Anyway, Mister…?”

    “Linebeck.”  
    “Mister Linebeck, what made you want to sail the Great Seas?”

    He shrugged, sitting back in his seat while he lifted his mug to his mouth. “Treasure, o’ course. Also, I’m doin’ this on account of my parents. They both love the sea and practically influenced me into goin’ this route.”

    “And this is something you, yourself, wanna do, right? They didn’t pressure you?”  
    “Nope, definitely not.”

    She smiled calmly. “Well, just as long as this is what you want, Mister ‘Beck.”

    “Anyway, about this place you told me about,” he questioned as he used a hand to dig into his satchel, retrieving the map he had on him, “could you pinpoint it for me so I can remember?”

    The cafe manager leaned over the counter a bit to check the map Linebeck laid out whilst he finished the remains of his breakfast. “Right here.” She pointed. “See the pawprint-looking place? That’s where treasure apparently is located.”

    “Does it have a name?”  
    “Pawprint Isle.”  
    “...sorry I asked.”

    She snickered.

    Within a matter of minutes, Linebeck straightened himself up and headed to the door. He waved back at the blonde, saying, “Thanks for the food and the suggestion, Gillian.”

    Gillian waved back. “Anytime. Don’t get killed, new face!”

    The door shut behind him.

 

    Linebeck took a long breath through his nostrils, and as soon as he exhaled, he felt himself dashing off, down the steps, and across the port without even noticing the stares he was getting by the locals of Windfall Island.

    It was time to weigh anchor and head for his first attempt for treasure: Pawprint Isle.

 

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand, the next chapter will be much more interesting. :B  
> Don't worry, it won't take too long.
> 
> Also, get ready for Captain Clement!
> 
> [ Dang, Linebeck's lucky he didn't run into those kids on Windfall Island like Link did. ]


	3. Pawprint Isle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Linebeck sets off to his very first treasure hut. His destination is, as its name suggests, Pawprint Isle. Will he be successful with this trip, or will he find nothing but grass and rocks?
> 
> Oh, and there's also this guy who goes by the name "Captain Clement". Who the heck is he though?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some stuff finally happens!
> 
> ...I think.
> 
> Anyway, Linebeck, calm down...you're going to be fine. It's just Pawprint Isle. How bad could it be?

* * *

 

 

    He could hardly contain himself as he pulled up to Pawprint Isle. Near the engine room doorway, Linebeck had his shovel propped against it, ready to grab it as soon as he dropped anchor. Meanwhile, he ran a strategy through his mind on what to do once he set foot.

    Linebeck peeped out one of the windows from where he was. Perfect parking.

    The young man took hold of the shovel as he dashed upstairs, his heart being faster from the increased excitement. His feet landed to the grassy ground of the isle, grass which nearly reached his knees. Linebeck’s eyes glanced around the small patch of land, taking a moment to observe the surroundings. Grass, more grass, four separate pillars that appeared unreachable at the moment, and finally a dome-shaped hut sat in the middle of the island -- this is what he saw.

    As he combed through the grass, his green eyes stayed on the dome. This was what Gillian, the manager of the Cafe Bar, told him about; although she described it as a “hollow rock”.

    He stopped right in front of the hole.

    “...oh,” he muttered, squinting his eyes, “this hole is a lot smaller than I thought. Drat.”

    Maybe...just maybe, he could squeeze in there.

    Linebeck shook his head. “Nah, only a kid could attempt that.” He glanced to the shovel he presently had over his shoulder. A thought came to mind. It might not work, but it was certainly worth a shot for any possible treasure.

    He whipped the shovel off his shoulder and steadied the head at the area surrounding the hole.

    Well, here goes nothing.

    For the next minute or two, Linebeck stood there, grunting whilst jabbing with the shovel over and over. Nothing really happened, at first, but then his ears perked upon catching the sound of something cracking. Pieces of the hole around the hut broke off and to the ground. A grin came to his face at the sight before him. Now, it was time to check it out.

    He laid the shovel, and then he got on all fours in order to take a sneak peek into the hole he had widened. Hmm, nothing but grass so far. Perhaps the good stuff is further inside. Linebeck crawled in, letting out a grunt through the still-tight squeeze. He guessed he didn’t make the hole large enough for himself.

    “Ey...?” He quirked a brow.

    What greeted him was a hole in the ground, one which appeared to be -- at least -- big enough for him to fall through. Should he  _ really _ ? How deep did it go anyway?

    He hesitated, humming in thought on whether it was worth breaking his ankles for treasure.

    Well, it  _ was _ treasure, so why not. 

    He stuck his hand out of the hut for a moment to get his shovel inside. Linebeck stood to his feet, getting himself ready mentally. ‘ _ Don’t think about breakin’ your bones, don’t think about breakin’ your bones… _ ’

    “Well,” he mumbled, “Goddesses, save my puny li’l body.”

    He jumped, emitting a loud scream through the darkness. Where was he going? Was he going to die?! Shoot, he was beginning to regret jumping in so blindly. Linebeck continued to mentally kick himself more; however, it died out when, suddenly, a force captured his body and levitated him down the rest of the way. His green eyes looked around the dark surrounding, wondering if something or someone was doing this to him.

    He was alone.

    The area became brighter, though not too bright, something which put the young man at ease. Ever so gently, he landed on his feet and the levitating force died, though only temporarily unbeknownst to Linebeck. From a few feet where he stood was a single entrance that led further ahead. With one last look around where he had landed safely, Linebeck dashed onward.

    This was weird, very weird.

    There was little to no sound besides him running through the grass and his breathing. The air had a slight breeze to it. In fact, this place as a whole felt eerily peaceful. Would treasure really be in a place such as this? He wondered if either parent ever ran into a similar area during their travels.

    “I can’t believe this place has trees,” he commented as he went by one of the trees.

    All of a sudden, he stopped in place when he heard a strange squeak up ahead, at the end of the tunnel he was running through. He blinked. Did he honestly hear that? He shook his head to clear his mind.

    “Bah, I’m hearing things…”

    A squeal sounded again.

    “...yep, just hearing things. All in my...head.”

    Although he said that, Linebeck still chose to approach the end of the hall cautiously, lifting his shovel closer to his chest as though bracing himself to whack anything that would try attacking him. Great, this was starting to feel like a nightmare he had frequently as a kid. Walking alone in an unfamiliar area and then suddenly hearing something out of nowhere…

    He shook his head yet again.

    His conscious shouted at him, ‘ _ Snap out of it! You’re not a timid four-year-old anymore, you’re an adult. You wanna get some loot, right? Then get goin’! _ ’ It meant well, but boy was it pushy.

    Linebeck shakily stepped out into the open, and all that he was met with was a small, grassy field. His nerves loosened along with his hold on the shovel upon feeling assured that he didn’t have a reason to be nervous. He turned his head around, taking a step forward as well. He continued to do this, looking around to see if he spotted anything shimmering through the knee-high grass. Drat, still nothing.

    The man huffed. “Rumours can go either way. This one’s prob’ly a bust.”

    Well, actually, this wasn’t the end of the road, which Linebeck soon realized. Ahead, there were two other “rooms” he could check in. Could the good stuff be hiding from him in one or the other place? His gut told him to head right rather than to dig around here fruitlessly -- Linebeck followed the intuition.

    His breathing stopped.

    “A...a….” he found it hard to speak from the surprise sitting in the grass at the end of the room. “A treasure chest!”

    Linebeck felt something flutter within himself as he rushed to the chest without the same hesitation from seconds ago. Goodness, he hasn’t felt this excited since he was a little kid! Such adrenaline, such a bundle of excitement! He was so invested in his discovery, that he ignored the small sting when he roughly landed to his knees in front of the treasure and instead dug a hand into his satchel to retrieve something to assist him.

    Since he had no idea how much the box full of goodies would weigh, Linebeck chose to pry open whatever was in there and carry it with him. His mum’s old stone carving chisel and hammer, there they were! He was a bit skeptical about if this would truly work, but if they didn’t, there was always the crowbar.

    Before he began to work on the treasure chest, he whispered to himself, “Calm down, calm down. Can’t do this when yer jittery, moron.”

_ Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! _

    As Linebeck continuously whacked the chisel into the gap on the side of the chest’s lock, something entered the room from where the young man entered.

    “You know,” he spoke up again, “I’m startin’ to wonder if this thing is even locked.”

    The lock popped off, getting his attention with complete ease.

    “Yes!” Linebeck quickly shoved the tools back in the satchel as his heart raced yet again. He grabbed the chest’s lid with both hands, and then he slowly lifted it off--

_ Squeak! _

    He froze. That was the same squeak from earlier but much, much louder. There was another squeak which came from elsewhere, followed by another, and another, and a few more! Linebeck gave in to find out what the source of those noises were by turning around….

    ...and boy, did he regret it.

    What on earth were those gooey-looking things standing around in front of him? Linebeck had never seen such weird red...creatures? Were they alive?! The squeaks were faint, but he knew now they were producing those sounds whenever they shifted.

    Shakily, Linebeck rose, taking hold of his shovel. The more he stared at them, the more certain he was getting bad vibes...and those bulging eyes and weird-as-heck grins did  _ not _ help his nerves.

    Good news: the living blobs were nowhere near the only way out; meanwhile, the bad news was that he’d have to depart with the treasure he was beginning to get fond of...that was until one of the things hunched, wiggling its “bottom” while staring at him --  _ then _ he was prepared to leave the treasure behind for now. Linebeck sucked in some air and, deciding he can cry over his loss later, whizzed off just as the red thing launched and landed onto the ground face-first.

    He ran through the next room, shouting, “What on earth  _ are _ those things?!”

    He would’ve stopped running, gladly, but when he heard those blasted squeakers with permanent grins not far from him, Linebeck sure as heck wasn’t going to stop.

    Well, until he slammed into a tree.

    “Ow, for the love of--” Linebeck paused mid-sentence, for something shiny jingled to the ground in front of him.

_   Squeak! _

    Regardless of what they were, Linebeck scooped the new discoveries into his pocket before running off yet again.

    “Please let the thing lift me back up, please let the thing lift me back up…” he prayed over and over as he reached the spot where he fell yet landed safely thanks to...whatever. Immediately, Linebeck was lifted off his feet and soon found himself being pulled higher and higher, away from the bright environment and into the darkness, though for a brief amount of time.

    Very faintly, Linebeck could still see two or three of those living red jelly creatures moving around, probably wondering where he went. Maybe.

    Linebeck was ejected out of the hole’s entrance and landed on his bottom.

    “...”

    His right hand numbly clutched his shovel whilst his left went to his head. Okay, what just happened? Linebeck replayed everything that occurred through his mind to double-check that what he went through was legit. His green eyes glanced to his pocket. He shoved his hand inside and pulled out a handful of rupees. Two reds, a two greens, an orange, and a one silver rupee was in his possession.

    Running into that tree was a blessing in disguise.

    Linebeck rushed out of the island’s hut once he shoved his shovel out first. The sun was beginning to set already? How long was he inside that place?! Instead of wondering any more on this strange island, he dived onto his boat and pulled out.

    “Well, time to head back, I guess,” he said, trying to make light about having to leave so soon. “Nearly got...uh...not-killed back there. Plus, I’ve got some loot to flash off.”

    Linebeck peeped out his window to take one last glance at Pawprint Isle. “...nope, wasn’t scared by that experience. Not one bit.”

  
  


* * *

 

 

    Gillian was taking her dinner/break, sitting at the counter with a plate of food and a glass of milk when she heard somebody walk in through the increasing noise of chatty sailors. She turned her head and saw it was that new face from hours ago. “Oh hey there, Linebeck! You’re looking a bit disheveled. Did everything go well?”

    Feeling tired from the chase, Linebeck plopped beside her at the counter, a hand shooting into his pockets. “Well, it’s not much, but…” He showed the rupees to the cafe owner.

    He didn’t expect much of a reaction from the woman since it really wasn’t that much of a treasure, but she brightened up in her seat, saying, “Huh, nice prize you’ve got. Three hundred and forty-two in loot isn’t bad at all!”

    “You think so?”   
    “Sure! You’ve never done this before, right?”

    He nodded.

    “Think of it this way,” she explained, “every treasure hunter starts small at first because they’re still trying to get a hang of what they’re doing and the precautions prior to that. During that time, they usually find little to no treasure unless they know exactly where to search.” Gillian poked the silver rupee in Linebeck’s hand. “Considering you’re a new face to this, I say you did well, especially for your first ever trip!”

    Linebeck stared at her with his brows raised ever-so-slightly. She had a point, didn’t she. Perhaps the three hundred or so rupees was something to be proud of. “How many people are here?”

    Instead of questioning why the sudden change of topic, Gillian responded simply, “Usually seven or eight around this time of the evening. Sometimes we get more, though.”

    “...just wondering, do I have enough to pay for rounds for everyone here?”

    And so, that was when Linebeck paid for everybody’s drink for the remainder of that evening.

 

* * *

 

  
  


    Closing time came by rather quickly, much to the disappointment of the intoxicated folks who had to leave for now.

    As she finished polishing a freshly cleaned glass, Gillian said, “My little comment must’ve really stuck to you.”

    Linebeck nodded, his head stuffed between his folded arms. Goddess, everything was spinning. He was afraid to stand in this state, but he knew he had to before Gillian forced him out.

    “Pretty generous of you to do that for them, Linebeck.”

    Another voice spoke up, “Aye, it was.”

    Linebeck didn’t lift his head to see who was talking now, he just couldn’t in this state. He listened to the sound of approaching footsteps coming to where he sat. Although he wasn’t sober, the new face could still recognize the scent of rosemary to his right.

    “I personally owe ya my thanks, li’l one.”

    He grunted when a hand pat his head as though he was a little kid.

    Gillian said, “Okay, men. Time for you two to go. I’m getting tired. You can come back for breakfast in the morning.”

    Darn it.

    On wobbly legs, Linebeck arose from his seat, licking his lips as well. He was fine on his feet for a moment; however, his knees buckled all of a sudden, but he was caught by his waist thanks to a larger arm wrapping around him. His green eyes trailed up the arm and to its owner. Through his blurry vision, Linebeck saw an older man grinning at him, his red jacket standing out like a sore thumb.

    “Thanks, old man…” Linebeck slurred.

    “No problem, red nose,” he responded to him with a gentle chuckle. “Need help getting out o’ here? Ya can hardly keep those short legs steady.”

    He nodded in reply while Gillian pushed open the door for the two. “S--sure…”

    “Okay. Are you staying at a house or somethin’ or....”   
    “Ah--a ship. Steamboat…at the port.”

    The man with extreme care escorted Linebeck out of the building. As soon as the duo were outside, the cafe bar’s door shut behind them. He glanced to Linebeck to see if he was okay. Once he was assured that the red-nosed man seemed fine, he led them to the steps in silence.

    “...so...what’s yer name?” He couldn’t help himself from talking anyway.

    “I’m...Linebeck….” Linebeck weakly said his name to him.

    “Nice to meet ya, Linebeck. I’m Captain Clement!”

    If he were sober, Linebeck would’ve froze at that introduction. Good  _ grief _ ! This man is a captain?! Linebeck was finally meeting a captain so soon on his journey! He knew something felt off about him besides the blindingly red jacket and facial hair. He wasn’t that much older than him either…

    Captain Clement stopped right in front of the S.S. Linebeck. His eyebrows went up at the boat. “Wow, cute li’l ship you’ve got.” He glanced to Linebeck, asking, “Want me to help ya into yer boat?”

    Linebeck nodded. He had a feeling he would trip if he allowed Clement to release him.

  
  


* * *

 

 

    Linebeck sighed loudly as he plopped onto his hammock, his head tilting back thanks to the state he was in. Meanwhile, Captain Clement was busy scanning the maps sprawled out upon the table as he whistled at the sight. Boy, this man was prepared to go anywhere!

    “Blimey, this is some impressive collection of maps you’ve got,” Clement said, pointing to the table with a thumb. “Even got encyclopedias and the works! Yer a prepared kid, ain’t ya?”

    “I ought t’ be,” he replied. “I’m out at sea on my own. I’ve got all the navigation supplies I need, including maps of every section on this planet.” Linebeck hiccuped, but he cleared his throat and tried to say something else. “That’s...that’s what Mum taught me. Have as much resources as possible at sea…”

    He stared at him hard, more so staring at his face. Linebeck, through his intoxicated stated, blushed at being observed.

    “Uh...what is it?”   
    “Would ya mind telling me yer parents’ names before I go? You look familiar somehow.”

    Linebeck yawned. “Sebastian and Charlotte.”

    A gasp caught his attention, or rather what was left of it as he began to feel sleepy.

    Captain Clement was beaming brightly, obviously excited upon hearing either one or both of those names. “Of Norcoast?! Blimey, are you...are you their kid?”

    He wanted to react much, much more than nodding, but this was all Linebeck could do. “Y--yeah?”

    “Goddesses,” he whispered, his smile not faltering, “yer Charlotte’s and Sebastian’s kid! I  _ knew _ my eyes weren’t deceivin’ me! Yer pop worked for my pappy years ago! Back when we were little kids, you see, so ya probably don’t remember meeting me or Pappy. Both of yer parents helped me out when I wanted to follow my pappy’s footsteps, to boot!”

    So much exposition while in this state was too much for Linebeck to handle, so the man’s eyelids slowly shut while hearing Clement gush more about his parents.

    Captain Clement was from Norcoast and knew his parents, huh?

    This was interesting...

 

* * *

 

 

**Interesting, indeed.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See? You're fine, Linebeck. You worry too much, sir!


	4. In Which Captain Clement Talks On and On...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the following day after Linebeck attempted his first treasure hunt with some success and after meeting a man named Captain Clement. After agreeing to meet up with Clement for breakfast, Linebeck gets to learn a lot more about the older man.
> 
> That, and he's offered something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unfortunately, the chapter title isn't lying. Clement will not be quiet.

* * *

 

 

**In Which Captain Clement Talks On and On...**

 

* * *

 

 

    The first thing Linebeck awoke to was a minor headache and dryness in his mouth. He groaned quietly as he rolled onto his back for a moment to recollect everything that happened.

    Let’s see, he traveled to Pawprint Isle, nearly got attacked by some weird blob things in the process, came back to Windfall for a drink, bought drinks for everybody, and then he met that captain who helped him back to the S.S. Linebeck.

    Captain Clement, wasn’t it?

    So, he knew his parents? And this was apparently the person Pop worked for….?

    He decided he needed some ice water. Carefully, he climbed off his hammock, grunting as well. As he reached the doorway, he spotted a note tacked to the left of it. Linebeck had a feeling he knew who wrote this.

    It started, _Hoy there, red nose! You passed out while I was still here, so I decided to head out for the night. If you want, we can meet up at the cafe bar for some breakfast. It’s on me! Hope you’re up for it! - Captain Clement_

    ...was that a heart beside his name? Guess that was part of his signature.

    “Guess it wouldn’t hurt to see him again,” he said out loud.

 

 

* * *

 

 

    Linebeck had to shield his eyes from the sun due to the headache he continued to endure while he made his way up the steps. Goddess, did those kids have to be so loud and awake _this early_? When he was their age, he slept in until eleven in the morning or noon…

    Again, he passed by the two gossiping women and inside the cafe bar.

    He immediately spotted Gillian sipping a cup of coffee from behind the counter while the handful of people in the cafe bar ate their breakfast or drank whatever at the tables of the establishment. Linebeck put his hand down in order to scan the place for--

    “Hoy! Over here, red nose!”

    Captain Clement.

    At the very end of the bar counter sat the captain in his still-blindingly red jacket, waving at him with a hand while the other steadied a fork full of food. Linebeck joined him, sitting to the right of Clement.

    “So, erm, good mornin’, Captain...”  
    “Mornin’. Did ya have a nice rest after last night?”

    He nodded. “You know my parents?”

    It was his turn to nod as a response. “Aye, certainly do!”

    Gillian came by for a moment to drop off a cup of coffee and a plate of food before going away; meanwhile, Captain Clement began to give further exposition about himself to Linebeck.

    “My grandparents were both pirates and used to take me around with them when I was a wee lad. Because of my exposure out there, I wanted to follow in their footsteps. I wanted to see the world and encounter as many adventures as they _and_ my dear mama experienced,” he said with a smile. “Kinda cliche, but…”

    ‘ _It is_ ,’ Linebeck thought but listened on.

    “Anyway,” Clement concluded, “my wish came true once I turned twenty-eight. I became a captain, visited various lands, found some treasure here ‘n’ there...had a blast, tell ya what.” He took a sip of his morning brew and then added, “Speaking of visiting...I oughta drop by Norcoast sometime next month. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen them. I’ll be sure to visit _yer_ folks, too!”

    He reached over and ruffled the top of Linebeck’s hair, earning an annoyed sound from the younger man.

    “Enough about me, though...what made ya want to come out on the open seas, li’l one?”

    After biting into a piece of toast upon being called _another_ nickname, Linebeck replied with emphasis on the name, “Well, _old man_ , I’m in the same ship as you are. The time my mum and pop had out at sea made me want to do it. Mostly for treasure, though.”

    “...just for treasure?”  
    “Are you _seriously_ judging me? Treasure hunting is part of being at sea, isn’t it?”

    Sheepishly, Clement grinned. “Well, yeah, sure…” He changed the topic back, saying, “So, 'bout seein' all o' those encyclopedias and maps last night...yer pretty much prepared for about anythin', ain't ya?"

    “I learnt navigation when I was younger.”  
    “You a navigator?”

    He shrugged. “Yeah.”

    “Nice. I could never remember directions well when I tried learnin’ navigation methods.”  
    “...so...you ought t’ have a navigator on your ship, right?”

    He tilted a hand from side to side, going, “Eh...not really.”

    “What? But--”  
    “Ran off one day.”

    He quirked an eyebrow at Clement. “Ey?”

    “Well, it’s like this,” he explained to him, “my ship hired a navigator once upon a time. He was pretty good and never really got scared of anything. One day, we stopped by an island to search around for anything. We split up into small groups and planned to meet back at the ship by sunset. When we came back, though, the group that our navigator was with never showed up.”

    He downed the rest of his coffee for a moment.

    “One of the two emergency boats was missing, along with some supplies, maps, treasure, and rupees. I guess he and the others didn’t like how I was handlin’ things and wanted out.” Clement slumped a bit in his seat as he mumbled, “Not like I would’ve been angry at them if they felt that way. I’d just apologise and ask what I’m doin’ wrong, that’s all.”

    Well, this was a lot of info to absorb. This captain lost a portion of his crew and felt as though it was all his fault. Clement didn’t appear, so far, to be the type that was demanding even though he was a captain. Maybe they thought he was too soft. But really, this was obviously more of them wanting to betray him rather than not enjoying Clement’s directions.

    What was he, Linebeck, supposed to say to this?

    “Erm, Captain Clement?”

    The bearded captain snapped out of his sad mood, shooting up straight at the counter. “Oh! I completely forgot to ask ya something!”

    Sudden mood change...okay.

    “It’s about you, li’l red nose.” Darn it, now he’s _combining_ the nicknames to create a new one!? “Are ya planning on sailin’ by yerself?”

    Linebeck raised a brow. “Yeah?”

    “Hmm…”  
    “What.”   
    “Won’t that be...y’know, damaging?”

    What on earth did he mean by that?

    Clement noticed the confused stare he was getting from the man with green eyes, so he tried to ask him again with better details, “What I’m trying to ask is if it’s honestly a good idea to be doing this on yer own. Usually when someone decides to set sail, they at least have another person with them.”

    “Where are you going with this?” Linebeck shoved a piece of cut sausage into his mouth.

    “Just common sense, nothin’ special. What if you need a hand with something while you’re out at sea? Ya won’t be able to handle everything on yer own, like if you were injured, for example, or sick. What if ya can’t treat yerself because of the severity? How about if a storm came by and ye had to steady your ship? It wouldn’t hurt to have an extra hand or two.

    “Not only that, though…think about the other effect of being out at sea on yer own. Being out at sea by yerself does things to you. Sure, you’d be fine fer the first few weeks, but…ye _gotta_ interact with somebody. Ya have a desire, the need, to be in the company of somebody. Trust me, I learnt that th’ hard way when I was younger. We need another livin’ being out there.”

    Linebeck stared at him, now done with his food. “Really now.”

    “Listen, li’l one,” he said, “I’m not saying what yer doin’ is wrong, but it wouldn’t hurt to have another soul with ya.”

    Should he really have someone with him? His mum was with her papa whilst his dad accompanied a crew. Neither of them were alone. Was it really that risky to be out at sea without another person? Captain Clement thought so, certainly.

    “...ya know, this might be odd for me to ask so soon since we’ve only really met each other last night, but,” he lowered his voice, asking, “would ya like to follow along with me ‘n’ my crew?”

    What?

    “What?” He blinked.

    “We both would benefit from this.” Clement smiled yet again. “You could be my navigator, and we’ll be with you for company. We can catch up more, too!”

    Oh right, they were around the same age and apparently grew up together thanks to Linebeck’s parents. Completely forgot about that since he learnt of it last night.

    But what really caught his interest is that he would be with a captain. This man probably knows better about where treasure could be besides only asking people for any rumoured locations. Perhaps overtime, he’ll become a captain!

    “If I join you…” hesitantly, he inquired Clement, “would I have t’ get rid of my ship?”

    “Of course not! Why would I make you do that? You can sail beside me. It’s fine!”

    The newcomer scratched the back of his neck as Clement wiped his mouth with a napkin. This did sound _beneficial_ , really. This man knew what he was doing, and Linebeck knew he was great with navigating which would help out Clement greatly.

    “...okay, I’ll come with you.”

    Instantly, Captain Clement’s entire face lit up. “You will?! Wonderful!” He stood from his seat and wrapped an arm around Linebeck’s shoulders. “I promise, red nose, that you’ll be in good hands while you’re with us. You won’t regret this decision, I guarantee it!”

    He turned Linebeck in his seat to further examine the young man better, obviously confusing Linebeck from the action. Wow, this was definitely Seb’s and Char’s kid. Too bad Linebeck didn’t seem to remember him from when they were a lot younger, but still, it was wonderful seeing him again after so long.

    Clement’s smile softened, making a small sound as he did so, “Heh. It’s gonna be great havin’ ya aboard. Thanks fer doin’ this, Linebeck.”

    Linebeck averted his eyes from Clement, grumbling out loud as he felt his ears heat, “It--it’s fine, geez.”

    This guy is odd, but hey...he’s a captain.

    ...still, however, he hoped this was going to work out like he wanted to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay Captain Clement, you're on talking probation.
> 
> Anyway, we'll get back to Linebeck being the main person in the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take me twenty days to finish it.
> 
> Whether or not he might be flirting with Linebeck by leaving a heart in the letter (or at the ending bit of this chapter) is up to you. :B

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry that nothing really happened so far, but I promise it'll get better with the next chapter!


End file.
